Accessing an out-space user interface for a document editor program

• US 9,098,473 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Dukhon, Marina, Harris, Jensen M., Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Law, Elaine Y., Mandic, Mirko, Guntaur, Paula
• Primary Examiner(s): Dyer, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/464,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20120221945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 715/767, 715/779, 715/778, 715/255
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

An out-space actuator is selected to access an out-space user interface for a document editor program. An out-space actuator is associated with an in-space user interface having a displayed document. When the out-space actuator is selected, an out-space user interface is displayed that includes an expanded feature selection surface.

Claims

1. A method for accessing an out-space user interface associated with an in-space user interface, comprising:

displaying the in-space user interface, the in-space user interface comprising an in-space user interface area comprising in-space user interface elements and a document display area to display a document, wherein the in-space user interface area comprises a ribbon comprising ribbon tabs and authoring features for authoring the content of the document;

displaying an out-space actuator with the in-space user interface; and

in response to receiving a selection of the out-space actuator, removing at least a portion of the in-space user interface elements displayed in the in-space user interface area, removing the display of the document from the document display area, and displaying the out-space user interface within the document display area, the out-space user interface comprising out-space user interface elements that when selected do not affect the content of the document, and wherein the out-space user interface elements include non-authoring features associated with the document in the document display area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-space user interface elements comprise features that when applied affect the content of the document displayed in the document display area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the in-space user interface elements comprise features comprising one or more:

home features, insert features, page layout features, reference features, mailing features, review features and view features, formatting features, writing tools, text features, picture features, tables, shapes, chat features, bold features, font features, layout features, arranging features, style features, find tools, spelling tools, a paste tool, a word count, and a synonym finder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein removing at least the portion of the in-space user interface elements displayed in the in-space user interface area further comprises removing the authoring features from the ribbon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-authoring features comprises displaying at least two or more of:

document details, document task list, print features, getting started features, application information features, a send for review feature, a permissions feature, a template feature, an encryption feature, an online feature, an assign document tasks feature, a publish to server feature, access to sharing features, a people and groups feature, and a file search feature.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the out-space user interface comprises converting the document to a document image and displaying the document image within the out-space user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the out-space actuator is actuated in response to a single actuation.

8. A system for accessing an out-space user interface for a program, comprising:

a processor;

a display; and

a memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to;

display an in-space user interface, the in-space user interface comprising an in-space user interface area comprising in-space user interface elements and a document display area to display a document that can be edited, wherein the in-space user interface area comprises displaying a ribbon comprising tabs and authoring features for authoring the content of the document;

display an out-space actuator with the in-space user interface; and

in response to receiving a selection of the out-space actuator, remove at least a portion of the in-space user interface elements displayed in the in-space user interface area and the document from the document display area, and display the out-space user interface that replaces the document display area, the out-space user interface comprising a display of out-space user interface elements that when selected do not affect the content of the document, and wherein the out-space user interface elements include non-authoring features associated with the document in the document display area.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the selection of the out-space actuator comprises expanding a display area of the ribbon, and replacing the authoring features with the non-authoring features within the tabs of the ribbon.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the out-space actuator is actuated in response to a single actuation, and when actuated an image of the document is presented with the out-space user interface elements that do not affect the content of the document.

11. A system for accessing an out-space user interface for a program, comprising:

a processor;

a display; and

a memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to;

display a document editor including an in-space actuator and an out-space actuator;

in response to receiving a selection of the in-space actuator, display the in-space user interface comprising an in-space user interface area comprising in-space user interface elements and a document display area to display a document, wherein the in-space user interface area comprises a ribbon comprising ribbon tabs and authoring features for authoring the content of the document; and

in response to receiving a selection of the out-space actuator, remove at least a portion of the in-space user interface elements displayed in the in-space user interface area, and display the out-space user interface within the document display area, the out-space user interface comprising out-space user interface elements that when selected do not affect the content of the document, and wherein the out-space user interface elements include non-authoring features associated with the document in the document display area.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the in-space user interface elements comprise features that when applied affect the content of the document displayed in the document display area.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the in-space user interface elements comprise features comprising one or more:

home features, insert features, page layout features, reference features, mailing features, review features and view features, formatting features, writing tools, text features, picture features, tables, shapes, chat features, bold features, font features, layout features, arranging features, style features, find tools, spelling tools, a paste tool, a word count, and a synonym finder.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein removing at least the portion of the in-space user interface elements displayed in the in-space user interface area further comprises removing the authoring features from the ribbon.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein removing at least the portion of the in-space user interface elements displayed in the in-space user interface area further comprises removing all of the authoring features from the ribbon.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-authoring features comprises displaying at least two or more of:

document details, document task list, print features, getting started features, application information features, a send for review feature, a permissions feature, a template feature, an encryption feature, an online feature, an assign document tasks feature, a publish to server feature, access to sharing features, a people and groups feature, and a file search feature.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-authoring features comprises displaying one or more of a new feature, an open feature, a save feature, a save-as feature, a close document feature, and an exit document editor feature.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein displaying the out-space user interface comprises converting the document to a document image and displaying the document image within the out-space user interface.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the out-space actuator is actuated in response to a single actuation.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the document editor includes one of a word processing editor, a spreadsheet editor, a slide presentation editor, a web document editor, or an email editor.